Movement Research & Improvisation

with Maciej Sado / Layton Lachman

Tuesdays, 18:00–19:30
Open Level

Class description Layton Lachman

Let’s dance with bodily joy and chaos! This open level class is designed for everyone who wishes to move in new and dynamic ways. This class includes physical orientations to self, others, and space; a flowing transformation of movement proposals; and structured and open improvisations. How we travel through the class is based on my dance lineage: Open Source Forms. Open Source Forms is deeply rooted in and fluidly expanded from Skinner Releasing Technique. Through the use of non-anatomical images for moving, evocative music, gentle hands on work, and play between energetic states, the class will lead toward unruly, vibrating, multidirectional dances. The work is based in improvisation and built upon a journeying together that asks for attunement, rigor, and care towards both the self and the collective.

Class Description Maciej Sado

Movement research and improvisation is based on the fusion of diverse somatic movement and dance methodologies. The class will lead us through crucial strategies and scores useful for improvisation. The class  is strongly inspired by the practice called “Break your habits” developed by Gonnie Heggen, a long-time teacher and mentor at the School of Dance Development in Amsterdam, and a the mix of my own dance practice, Body weather techniques, and BMC (body mind centring). The class focuses on fast movement and instant composition. The practice is about breaking the gap between body and mind and it trains the space between the inner and outer perspectives of the body. Being present with the body, letting it lead while composing what is happening simultaneously. “Break your habits,” as the name suggests, allows you to go deeper into movement habits and develop new, surprising often times, qualities through a set of simple and accessible exercises. We will move, start over, work with space, imagination, qualities, musicality, rhythm, copy or borrow from each other, but also look and observe to delve into our understanding of what dance is and what our and other bodies can do or how they can move in hitherto unknown ways.  No previous dance experience is necessary.